Tucson Weekly Turns 25

On Feb. 22, 1984, the first issue of a brand-new newspaper hit the streets of Tucson. That first, 12-page issue of The Tucson Weekly featured a cover story on Gary Gisselman, then the artistic director of the Arizona Theatre Company.

In the 25 years since then, that little newspaper has grown into one of the most respected alternative newsweeklies in the country.

On Feb. 26, 2009, the Tucson Weekly celebrated its first quarter-century with the 25th Anniversary Issue. The issue looked back on the writers, stories and advertisers of the Weekly’s first quarter-century—and the city’s prospects for the next 25 years.

“It’s a big deal for any business to survive for 25 years,” said editor Jimmy Boegle. “But after looking at what the Weekly’s accomplished over 2 ½ decades, I can say this paper didn’t just survive; as far as its content, it’s thrived. There were ups and downs, of course, but we have a 25-year record to be proud of.”

Senior writer Jim Nintzel, the Weekly’s most veteran staffer—he’s been with the paper for 19 years—examined approximately 1,300 issues of the Weekly for a special timeline that will be included in the 25th Anniversary Issue.

“This has been one crazy carnival over the last quarter century, and I’ve been blessed to be a part of it,” Nintzel said. “Looking back at all those issues, I’m amazed at the talent that has appeared on these pages. It’s been a wild ride.”

The 25th Anniversary Issue was the official kickoff of the Weekly’s year-long celebration of the newspaper’s silver anniversary, which will include contests, promotions and special events. The Weekly—which has been on the Internet since 1995—was slated to launch a brand-new Web site in March. In June, the Tucson Weekly will be bringing the alternative-newsweekly world to Tucson as the host of the 32nd Annual Association of Alternative Newsweeklies convention.